World Monuments Fund Names New Board Members
World Monuments Fund Names New Board Members:
Marina Kellen French, Henry J. Iseman, Christian Louboutin, Priya Paul, and Donna Perret Rosen to Serve as Trustees
New York, NY – September 12, 2023 – Today, World Monuments Fund (WMF) announced the addition of five new members to its Board of Trustees, reflecting the organization’s commitment to safeguard the world’s irreplaceable cultural heritage. This new cohort of Trustees brings fresh perspectives and diverse expertise, joining a global network of advocates, scholars, philanthropists, and business leaders who deeply value the preservation of our cultural heritage for future generations.
Lorna B. Goodman, Chair of WMF’s Board of Trustees, said that it was her privilege to be able to strengthen the Board with this accomplished group: “We are thrilled to have the new Trustees join WMF at this pivotal point as we grow our presence and expand our community globally. Their invaluable guidance and involvement have been instrumental in advancing the organization’s strategic goals.”
Bénédicte de Montlaur, President and CEO of WMF, welcomed these exceptional individuals to the Board, noting their shared vision to protect cultural treasures while building mutual understanding across cultures and communities. “These new Trustees strengthen WMF globally. They bring incredible business and philanthropic acumen to the organization, as well as strong global networks and a passion for heritage that will enable us to further advance our mission of fostering awareness regarding the profound impact of heritage preservation on communities worldwide,” she said.
About the New Board Members
Marina Kellen French is a philanthropist and an avid supporter of the arts globally. Ms. Kellen French is President of the Marina Kellen French Foundation and Vice President of the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation. As a Trustee of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, she serves as Chair of the Visiting Committee for the Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts. Ms. Kellen French is a Trustee of Carnegie Hall, a Managing Director of The Metropolitan Opera, a member of the Trustees’ Council of the National Gallery of Art, and a member of the Executive Board of the Hospital for Special Surgery. She also serves on the International Board of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and is a Life Trustee of The Morgan Library & Museum, WNET Channel 13, and the American Academy in Berlin. In 2014, she received the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit (First Class) of the Federal Republic of Germany for her exceptional work in German-American relations. In April 2019, the Bard Graduate Center honored her with the Iris Award, given to an outstanding individual who has contributed to the study and appreciation of the decorative arts. Ms. Kellen French is a recipient of the Legion of Honor, Republic of France (France’s premier honorary distinction).
Henry J. Iseman is a social entrepreneur from New York City with a strong passion for global health and cultural heritage. He is the founding director and chairman of Penta Medical Recycling, a nonprofit that provides affordable prosthetic limbs to amputees around the globe. Henry brings this experience managing his own organization to WMF’s board, as well as deep knowledge of cultural preservation in conflict zones and a strong interest in aligning cultural and economic development. Henry graduated from Yale University in 2018 and was in Forbes 30 Under 30 2019 for his work at Penta. Henry is a WMF Trustee and the founding co-chair of WMF’s Junior Board, which he has built to engage the next generation of professionals and philanthropists in the preservation field. He is starting as an MBA candidate at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business in Fall 2023.
Christian Louboutin is the founder and designer of the eponymous fashion house, internationally renowned for its iconic red soles. He takes inspiration from his travels all over the world and is always curious about meeting new people and discovering new cultures. He is also an avid collector of art and artifacts and the owner of culturally significant houses around the world, including a thirteenth-century château in the Vendée, several properties in Portugal (including an eighteenth-century palace in Lisbon; a compound in Melides; and La Folie, designed by the architect Tarek Shamma and inspired by the Jantar Mantar observatory in Jaipur, India), a traditional house in Luxor, and a dahabiya boat on the Nile. Mr. Louboutin is also a major funder of the Colossi of Memnon mission in Luxor, Egypt, and was awarded WMF’s Hadrian Award in 2022 for his significant contributions to the preservation of ancient Egyptian cultural heritage.
Priya Paul is a philanthropist and the chairperson of Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels (ASPHL). She has played a significant role in various fields, including hospitality, philanthropy, and women’s empowerment. In her role at ASPHL, she has overseen the growth of the luxury boutique hospitality establishments THE Park Hotels and Zone by The Park. Under her leadership, the company has expanded to encompass more than 27 hotels under different brands across India. Ms. Paul has held several board and leadership positions within industry bodies, such as the Hotel Association of India (HAI) and World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) – India Initiative. She is also the founder, director, and chair of South Asia Women’s Fund (now Women’s Fund Asia) and has been on the board of Breakthrough India. She has been a trustee of the India Foundation for the Arts (IFA) and Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), as well as a board member of National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) and Harvard Business School’s South Asia Advisory Board. In 2012, Priya Paul was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honor, for her services to trade and industry. She was also awarded the rank of knight in France’s National Order of Merit in 2014.
Donna Perret Rosen is an avid supporter of artists and has been an active member of WMF’s Board of Trustees since 2021. Mrs. Rosen was a longtime owner of the contemporary art gallery Galerie Simonne Stern in New Orleans and is now active in philanthropy and the visual arts. She is a current board member of the Morgan Library & Museum and the American Friends of the British Museum, as well as a former board member of the Whitney Museum of American Art, the New Orleans Museum of Art, and Dia Art Foundation. Mrs. Rosen is an honorary trustee of the Kent School and is on the international committee of the Venetian Heritage Society. She is married to Benjamin Rosen, and they live in New York. Mr. Rosen is the former chairman and former acting chief executive officer of Compaq and a co-founder of Sevin Rosen Funds.
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About World Monuments Fund
World Monuments Fund (WMF) is the leading independent organization devoted to safeguarding the world’s most treasured places to enrich people’s lives and build mutual understanding across cultures and communities. The organization is headquartered in New York City with offices and affiliates in Cambodia, France, India, Peru, Portugal, Spain and the UK. Since 1965, our global team of experts has preserved the world's diverse cultural heritage using the highest international standards at more than 700 sites in 112 countries. Partnering with local communities, funders, and governments, WMF draws on heritage to address some of today’s most pressing challenges: climate change, underrepresentation, imbalanced tourism, and post-crisis recovery. With a commitment to the people who bring places to life, WMF embraces the potential of the past to create a more resilient and inclusive society.
Media Contact
Judith Walker, Vice President of Communications, World Monuments Fund, jwalker@wmf.org
